For the past several years, singer/songwriter David Bazan has paved his own path. He's never stopped touring and relies mostly on the generosity of strangers who open up their homes for exclusive house show tours. There's a whole cottage industry, but sometimes it means cities with high square foot housing costs might actually miss out, because let's face it, I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't fit 30 strangers in my rental apartment. I have had the pleasure of some of those shows, however, and Bazan openly talks about the distance he feels from his Pedro days and the strong Christian sentiment in some of those old songs. Still, in the early days of indie rock, Pedro the Lion were at the top of their game, and so it is with a lot of excitement that the band is touring again, and judging by reviews in other cities, it's a not to miss show. At the Casbah, the Bay Area's Con Brio prove they're the best new live band in America, Lord Howler melt faces at Bar Pink and La Escalera Fest kicks off the first night of the festival at Soda Bar.
Thursday, May 17:
- Pedro the Lion, David Dondero @ Belly Up
- Con Brio, the Sextones @ Casbah
- Lord Howler with Rhinoceros III @ Bar Pink
- La Escalera Fest 7 with Pears, High, Pissed Regardless, Ash Williams, Sculpins, Fat by the Gallon, Brain Waves @ Soda Bar
- Tricky, Young Magic @ Music Box
- The Surfaris @ Tio Leo's
- The Hiroshima Mockingbirds, North by North, the Savage Young @ Pour House
- Danko Jones, Bossfight, the Focke Wolves @ Brick by Brick
- Chocolate: A Night of Deep, Dark Afro-Tech & Techno @ Blonde
- Tuvan throat singers Chirgilchin @ Dizzy's
- New Alchemy Poetry Series presents Steve McDonald followed by Open Mic @ Lestat's
- Karina Frost & the Banduvloons, Jordan Collins, Q Ortiz @ The Merrow
- Robert Dove @ Panama 66
- Yak Attack, TV Broken Third Eye Open @ Winston's
- Weekly Jazz Jam @ Ken Club (9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.)
- Boomboxx Thursdays @ U-31
- Bumpasonic @ Humphreys Backstage Live
- Closet Goth, Spirited Away, Was @ Che Café
- Lady Bunny @ Martini's Above Fourth
- Jimmy Ruelas @ Seven Grand
- Kick Stomp Ensemble @ De Oro Mine Co.
- Autumn Ridge @ Bancroft Bar
- Jacquelyne Silver: the Revolutionary From Bonn, Beethoven @ La Jolla Athenaeum
- Open Jam Session @ Winston's (6-9 p.m.)
- No Limits with DJ Myson King @ The Office
- Rodney Atkins @ Moonshine Flats
- Stars and Stripes Party @ Moonshine Beach
- PB&J Presents Disco Dance with DJs B. Rose & Kyle Hapgood @ El Dorado
- Tango Thursdays @ Queen Bee's
- Archetype X featuring Will Lavin, Osk Blatvk, Residents @ Kava Lounge
- Open Jam with Jeff Ousley @ Navajo Live
- Liquid Courage Karaoke @ 710 Beach Club
- DJ Yodah @ Henry's Pub
Rosemary Bystrak is the publicist for the Casbah and writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
